Report: GMC considering Jeep Wrangler competitor

With SUV profitability and the Canyon/Colorado platform in the parts bin, it might be a smart move.

The Wall Street Journalreports that GMC is considering a rival for the popular (and profitable) Jeep Wrangler. During discussions with dealers, GM said it wants to leverage the experience gained from the Hummer brand as the market for SUVs rebounds in the face of lower gas costs.

We spoke to senior vehicle research analyst at Navigant, Sam Abuelsamid, about the notion of a GMC-branded off-roader. "I think it would actually make a lot of sense for GM to do something like this," he said, pointing at the Hummer's attempt to downsize towards the end of that brand's life. "They had the Hummer HX concept back in 2008, which surely would have been built as the H4 if Hummer had not been shuttered."

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GMC also has the fresh Colorado/Canyon platform now. Abuelsamid agreed that a shortened Canyon frame would be the perfect chassis to slip under a Wrangler competitor; a formula the company used to follow with the S-10 Blazer/S-15 Jimmy twins. The Canyon offers an inline-4, a V6, and soon, a turbodiesel, all of which would be appropriate powertrains for a fun off-roader aimed at making Jeep sweat.

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And let's not forget the Colorado ZR2 concept from the L.A. Auto Show. The appeal of a small SUV version of the concept truck is undeniable if you've ever enjoyed (or considered) tackling a trail.

There's also the profit play. Abuelsamid points out, "The reason GMC survived the bankruptcy is that the auto task force looked at the numbers and saw that GMC customers were willing to pay a premium of several thousand dollars per vehicle compared to the equivalent Chevrolet models, which was mostly pure profit."

The Wrangler is a profitable exercise for FCA, with top-of-the-line models retailing for more than $40,000—a base Wrangler Sport starts at just $22,795. That means even if the GMC off-roader is a niche product, it might make money for the company.

Theo Chin/Chris Doane Automotive

Then again, the Jeep Cherokee could prove to be a model for GMC, too. GMC's current Terrain is most definitely a soft-roader, but if Jeep could build a Trailhawk off of what's essentially a modified Dodge Dart chassis, surely GMC could turn the Terrain into something harder-core. That would, as Abuelsamid points out, put some distance between the Terrain and its platform partner, the Equinox.

Option the Jeep Wrangler smartly, and it's a hell of a buy. We love the 4x4 enough to have put the Willys Wheeler edition—sort of a quasi-Rubicon that's a perfect platform to start a hardcore off-road build from—on our list of the 20 Best Cars and Trucks under $30k. Competition is a good thing. A little nudge from GMC could help keep the Wrangler from getting any more civilized than it already is.

Theo Chin/Chris Doane Automotive

What's GMC's take? We reached out to brand spokesperson Brian Goebel, who declined to comment on anything in regard to the speculation surrounding the Wrangler competitor.

If this rumor crystalizes into something concrete, we'll be sure to let you know.